Little Long Lake Fishing in Rolette County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Look for Little Long Lake in the Rolette County part of North Dakota. Around the bank it is pine and birch. It measures about 51 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. It is high ground by North Dakota standards. Supplies mean a trip to Boissevain, 13 miles off. For a city, Winnipeg is 148 miles off. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little Long Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Rolette County include bluegill, northern pike, white bass and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Little Long Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 1°F to 65°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Expect Little Long Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Rebecca Lake, 1.6 miles out. Ask locally about Little Long Lake if anything is unclear.